Microwave treatment of package foods

ABSTRACT

the shelf-life of food is improved by sterilizing such food by heating it in a container having oxygen barrier properties, by microwave energy, for a time and temperature necessary to produce sterilization. Such container is formed of a laminate including an organic polymeric material coated with an inorganic glassy barrier material and with a heat-sealable topcoat. The coating is from 0.02 to 2 microns thick and includes over 50% metal phosphate selected from aluminum and iron phosphates. The atom ratio of metal to phosphorus is about from 2.2 to 0.5 and up to about 50% of the metal ions may be replaced by tin, titanium or zirconium ions.



